RSVP's newest partnership with the Ramsey County Sheriff's Department

In 2009, the St. Paul Public School District reported that 49% of students are not reading at their grade level. Poverty and low academic achievement are strong indicators of delinquency and lack of workforce readiness. In 1995, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department created the Sheriff’s Youth Literacy Plus (SYLP) program with the goal to help overcome these barriers by focusing on early literacy skills. SYLP is an after school program that serves kindergarten through 12th grade students at McDonough Community Center in St. Paul. SYLP works with youth to improve their self esteem, reverse the trends of poverty and juvenile crime. These will in return build a stronger and healthier community. The students enrolled in this program have not had any trouble with the law and need your help to stay on track. Volunteers are needed to tutor, coordinate arts and crafts, supervise recreational activities, organize field trips and recruit volunteers. Become a part of the movement to build a stronger community in East St. Paul. Please contact Amy Fjellman at afjellman@voamn.org or 651.470.7416 for information on how to get started.

Start the year off right! Help close the achievement gap by becoming a tutor with RSVP!

Do you live in Mpls, St. Paul or the surrounding suburbs? Local non profits and afterschool programs are looking for tutors willing to engage in the lives of children as they work in partnership with teachers, parents and community members to target students performing below grade level. Community partners want RSVP volunteers 55+ to share their expertise and passion for improving literacy skills as they build meaingful intergenerational relationships as mentors.

Call Mary Jane Horton, RSVP Literacy Coordinator, for more information about getting connected in YOUR community as a volunteer helping to improve literacy in Minnesota!